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About Me

Hailing originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Barbara Klar opened her first store, Clear Metals, in NYC's East Village during the mid - 80's. In 1991 she moved that store into the Soho section of NYC where it was for ten years until June of 2001. Since that time, Barbara has moved her studio to Accord, New York, where she is currently expanding her website, her wholesale line and her special order commission work.

C lear Metals is a showcase to Barbara Klar's fascinating collection, a unique presentation of one-of-a kind and limited edition gold and silver jewelry which is completely designed and crafted by her in her Brooklyn studios. Originally a trained metalsmith, she was listed in NY Magazine as being one of the few jewelry designers who "will lend her eclectic touch to create just about anything her clients request, from unique wedding bands and pearl-drop earrings to chunky ID bracelets and mediaeval - style chains".

B arbara's work has been recognized on the editorial pages of Vogue, WWD, the New York Times and In-Style Magazine as well as featured on television shows such as "Friends", "Veronica's Closet" and "Judging Amy". Film credits have included " Meet The Parents", "Wall Street", "High Art". and the Eurythmic's "Missionary Man" video.

Symbolic, personal and timeless, Barbara Klar creates jewelry that becomes today's modern heirlooms. She combines elements of Celtic, Egyptian, and American Indian cultures with the symbology of contemporary Street Graffiti. Her cutting - edge designs often challenge the limitations of fine jewelry through her use of precious materials that are worked and designed into pieces that reveal a modern sensibility with a keen historical edge.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Do You Lead A Charmed Life? Answering that question myself, I would say sometimes
yes, sometimes no. One thing I WOULD say for sure, is that it’s been memorable.
OH! The memories!

As
a young girl I loved shiny pretty things. My first memories of jewelry were
limited to investigating my mother’s jewelry box. She wasn’t a huge jewelry
fan, but had collected a small array of interesting pieces over the years which
included a pink gold Benrus watch and various hand-made pins and earrings that
were purchased during her 13 years living abroad in Brazil. I would line these
pieces up and inspect them closely: the clasps, the stones, and the color and
texture of the metal. And then there was the shoebox full of gumball machine charms,
which Sherry Carr kept under her bed. She lived across the street from me and I
coveted those plastic charms with a passion that wasn’t quite admirable. These
early obsessions merged with Saturday trips to the hardware store accompanying
my father where I developed a fascination with hinges, nuts and bolts and how
everything fit together architecturally.

Lately
I’ve found myself revisiting lots of memories of people and places lost. Images
that will awaken me from a sound sleep or shadows that I seem to see out of the
corner of my eye as I shuffle around my studio. Often I will hear a whisper in
my ear with sounds and voices unspoken that will jolt me from reality.

Seemingly
“on trend” it appears that you, my friends, have been following the same path
because I’ve been getting a lot of requests and packages to update your
memories with your collectibles and charms. I’ve been adding charms on your
bracelets, earrings and necklaces.

I’ve
always loved charms: charms with moveable or secret compartments. Charms with
enamel and colored accents. Gumball charms. Silver charms. Gold charms. They
are so fascinating, so CHARMING, and they all mean something. Our personal
lives are reflected in these tiny mementos. They have meaning and a life of
their own. Truly, this is a charmed life.